Prior to transitioning to AssetAlly®, the Village of Germantown’s asset records were stored as paper prints in file cabinets. Not having this information available in a digital format caused the Village to wear-out their paper, resulting in difficulty when making reproductions.
Therefore, the Village turned to Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. to help eliminate their mounds of paper and disorganized records and files. They needed a way to digitize their records to evaluate and understand the daily operations in the Village’s Sewer Utilities, Water Utilities, and Public Works Department.
Solutions
To integrate and improve their system processes, the Village decided on AssetAlly®. To ensure a successful implementation, they met with the AssetAlly® team, who listened to their needs and in turn recommended the tools that best fit their requirements.
The Village’s first goal was for sewer and water utility staff to have a better way to manage daily activities and provide a means to simplify and quantify the funding required to maintain and upgrade the utility infrastructure features. With AssetAlly® the Village can collect and track information related to manhole inspections, sewer pipe cleaning and televising, water meter replacement, and water main breaks. Since AssetAlly® is accessible by internet, asset forms can be accessed in the field on any device. This allows utility staff to collect and input information immediately, rather than write on forms and enter at the end of the day or a later date.
Quarterly and annual reports are generated using AssetAlly® and distributed to Village Board trustees to help them understand, visualize, and appreciate the level of effort required to maintain the Village’s infrastructure and the need for maintenance and capital improvement funding. Similar information is collected and analyzed for the Village’s annual road program.
“AssetAlly® is a powerful tool. As staff retired, information would often get lost. If, during a person’s work life that information can be captured in AssetAlly®, the next generation and the community will benefit as a whole. We are very satisfied with the R/M team for their support and implementation of AssetAlly®.”
Successes
By using AssetAlly® to track assets in a digital environment, the Village immediately saved time and has peace of mind knowing their assets are always in the same, secure place. Also, by scanning old prints to pdf, the Village was able to store them digitally, thus allowing for quick reproduction when necessary.
Since the initial implementation of AssetAlly®, the Village has added additional tools to collect and track information related to water valve and hydrant inspections, sewer manhole surcharges, and sewer pipe and lateral backups. Using this information, the Village has a better handle on the condition of the utility assets and can more effectively plan and allocate funding for repairs and replacement as the infrastructure ages.
Where is That Leak Coming From?
While out in the field one day, Village staff came across something that looked odd to them. Water was running along the surface where it should not have been. By having past photo layers, they were able to find a water main leak that went undetected for about 15 years.
“ Once it was verified with the AssetAlly® photo layers and confirmed as a leak, it turned into a significant leak of 604,800 gal/week. “AssetAlly® paid for itself that year.”
The Search for the Missing Water Main.
The Village had a large gas transmission main project where the gas main had to cross an 8” water main. This main had no tracer wire on it and after half a day of vacuum excavating by the contractor, it was not found. Village staff went into AssetAlly® and toggled the photo layer on/off going back about 15-20 years and it showed the original trench cut for the main installation. A line measurement was done in markup from the current pavement edge to the center of the trench cut back 15-20 years ago. That measurement was used in the field, and the water main was right where the photo said it was. Disaster was averted, and Germantown and the contractor were very happy.
